1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a loading system for a vehicle, and particularly to a lift and hitch system for loading, transporting, and unloading equipment, such as agricultural implements, onto a standard semi-truck tractor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Implements and equipment for tillage, cultivation and other agricultural operations have been developed with the objectives of increasing efficiency and lowering operating costs. These mechanical agricultural implements typically connect to tractors and other machinery via several connection types, such as Cat. II or Cat. III two-point hitch, or via a removable drawbar type hitch. It is important to be able to move these heavy agricultural implements from one location to another and to quickly load and unload the equipment.
With the ever increasing size of planters, drills, grain carts and tillage equipment, it is no longer safe or feasible to tow these types of agricultural implements of husbandry with a pickup, one-ton or two-ton truck. This makes delivery and pickup of these implements a challenge for dealers and either has to be done with a farm tractor or the implement has to be loaded on a semi-trailer. Both of these delivery solutions have great limitations.
Modern agricultural operations commonly require equipment adapted for transporting over public roads. For example, many farmers and farming operations work multiple, noncontiguous fields with the same equipment, which must be configured to comply with traffic regulations, including maximum width requirements. Various implement transport mechanisms have been developed for this purpose. For example, implements are commonly designed to fold and unfold between field use and transport configurations.
Transporting oversize implements commonly involves placing them on transport vehicles, such as trailers, with their long dimensions generally aligned with the direction of travel. For example, the Mefferd et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,060,259 shows an implement supported on auxiliary wheels and drawn by a vehicle attached to an end of the implement. Alternatively, an implement can be reoriented by a device that rotates it. For example, the Van Selus U.S. Pat. No. 3,727,698 discloses a trailer apparatus incorporating a turntable supported on a trailer body wherein a lift and support assembly is mounted on the turntable for lifting an implement and supporting it in an elevated position with the elongated dimension of the implement extending parallel to the direction of travel.
A further example is shown in the Shannon U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,918, which discloses an implement transporter including a trailer having a lifting and rotating mechanism for engaging, lifting and rotating an implement. The weight of the implement is supported by a roller, and the lifting mechanism is guided through an arcuate path-of-movement by an arm pivoted adjacent to one side of the trailer whereby the supported implement may be rotated 90 degrees relative to the trailer.
Yet another example is shown in the Pingry et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,238,170, which describes an implement transporter including a trailer having a lifting and rotating mechanism for engaging, lifting and rotating the implement. The trailer includes a turntable supporting a cantilevered arm and the cantilevered arm includes a lift and support assembly.
Additional examples of lift systems adapted for use with standard semi-truck tractors includes the Pro-Tote® Daisy Mule®, which modifies a standard truck wrecker modified to pull agricultural implements, and the Zacklift™ Fifthwheeler, which allows a standard semi-truck tractor to be converted into a towing wrecker for transporting other semi-truck tractors over the road. However, these modifications lack the versatility to connect with, lift, and haul the wide variety of agricultural implements available today. For example, the Daisy Mule® is limited to use with only Cat. III quick hitch systems and a removable drawbar. The Zacklift™ Fifthwheeler is limited to transforming a standard semi-truck tractor into a wrecker, and is incapable of lifting and transporting agricultural implements.
The existing hitch systems cannot quickly or easily transform from a Cat. III hitch to a Cat. II hitch. Modifying an existing hitch to accept a Cat. II or Cat. III quick hitch would require that the quick hitch be completely removed and a new quick hitch system be installed. Quick hitch systems weigh upwards of 250 pounds and require time to be installed. Further: existing hitch systems employ a lift placed relative to a semi-truck's fifth wheel and require that the hitch extend well beyond the end of the truck frame. This increases the moment arm of the hitch, and therefore increases weight load on the hitch system, leading to increased wear.
Other examples of lift systems adapted for use with standard semi-truck tractors further includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,823,735 and 6,036,428 to Kooima, U.S. Pat. No. 7,100,933 to Zackovich, U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,030 to Hawkins, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,715,042 to Rellinger. These lift systems discuss attaching a lift system to a standard semi-truck tractor via the fifth wheel.
What is desired is a lift system capable of connecting to a standard semi-truck tractor adapted for lifting and hauling agricultural implements having a variety of connection types, including Cat. II two-point hitch connections, Cat. III two-point hitch connections, and draw bar connections.
Heretofore there has not been available a lift mechanism with the advantages and features of the present invention.